I've tried starting seeds but haven't had much luck getting them past sprouting phase. The only nursery I've been able to locate with live bilberry plants is Poyntzfield Herb Nursery in Scotland but they don't seem interested in trying to ship plants to the USA.. anyone else know a source for live bilberry? anyone growing bilberry?

You need to soak the bilberries overnight, separate seeds and plant in acid soil mix on surface and use a spray mister to water them. It takes 3-6 months to germinate and give them dappled light but mostly bright shade. If you don't have acid soil mix, mix peat moss with whatever soil your using. I used Fox Farm happy frog soil and mixed a little peat moss in it and had great results. You being in California shouldn't have to worry about the heat/humidity cooking your plants, just make sure they are always moist. Have patience if you want them bad enough and the seeds from horizonherbs.com WILL sprout with great germination rates.

I have some Vaccinium myrtillus plants from the wild, but i think its forbidden to send plants to the US (i live in Germany, where they grow wild). The yield from these plants is much lower than for cultivated blueberries, and they need even more acidic soil. But the taste is great, if you get enough of the small berries to taste it . Less sweet and much more aromatic than blueberries, and blue inside (instead of white).